Pressure-fluid hammer



- Dec. 24, 1929.

v V. S. KILLINGSWORTH PRESSURE FLUID HAMMER sheeis-sneet 1 hrm] INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Dec. 24, 1929,

V. S. KILLINGSVYORTH PRESSURE FLUID HAMMER I 2 Sheets-Sheet' E Filed sept. 4, 192e WITNEssl-:s w

ATTORNEYS Een. Z4, 1929 STATES VIRGIL SKEEN KILLNGSWORTE,

Ol? JENNINGS, OKLAHOMA PRESSURE-FLUID HAMMER Application led September 4, 1925.' Serial No. 133,658.

My invent-ion relates to improvements in pressure Fluid hammers and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of the invention is the provision oit a power hammer which is adapted to be reciprocated by the action of steam and which includes a novel means whereby the complete hammer will be suspended from an overhead support so that the hammer can be manipulated at will to adjust the position ot the hammer with respect to the article that is to be struck by the hammer.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a hammer of the character described which because of its relative freedom of movement and wide range of adjustment of position 4is especially adapted for use in dressingl or otherwise forming or repairing drilling bits and like tools, such as are required in well drilling operations.

A further object of the invention is the provision in a hammer of the character described oi a novel means for connecting the lpower operable piston with the striking member or hammer and for supporting the striking member for guided movement and for yieldingly limiting the reciprocation of the striking member so that the reciprocation of the piston will cause reciprocation of the striking member without any appreciable shocks and ars being transmitted to the supporting frame structure o the device.

@ther objects and advantages ol" the invention will be apparent from the `tollowing description, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which7 Figure l is a side elevation oic a power hammer embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through the hammer on the line 2 2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a section substantially along the line 3-3 of Figure 2, the view being atA right angles to Figure l.

Figure il is a transverse vertical section to the hammer substantially along the line 4 4 of Figure l. f

Figure 5 is a section along the line 5&5 out Figure l.

Figure 6 is a plan view of the power cylinder and associated steam chest of the device together with the steam inlet valve. a portion of the steam inlet valve casing being` broken away.

The improved hammer is designed primarily for use in dressing drilling bits and other cable tools of well drilling outiits and can be suspended by a cable from an overhead support so that the hammer can be swung relatively to the tool that is to be dressed and can be manipulated to permit striking of the work from any desired direction, thus obviating the necessity of making use of a ram or for adjusting the work relativelnY to the striking device, as has heretofore been necessary in dressing cable tools in the iield by means of an ordinary ram.

rl`he casing ot the improved tool includes a steam cylinder l which is closed at one end by a head 2 and at its opposite end by a head 3. A barrel or tubular guide et extends from the head 3 in axial alinement with the power cylinder l and may be integral with the head 3 as shown. The head 3 is provided with a central opening through which the stem 5 of a piston 7 may slide, the piston 7 of course being reciprocable in the cylinder l.

A stuiing box such as indicated at 8 in Figures 2 and 3 may be associated with the head 3 of the cylinder to prevent leakage 'from the space within the cylinder through the opening in the head 3 of the cylinder. Access tO the stuliing boX 8 to permit packing of the stuliing bor; may be had through a normally closed opening at 6 in the barrel 4. A valve chest 9 is carried by the cylinder l and cxtends along one side of the cylinder l, the valve chest 9 and the cylinder l having a common side wall as indicated at 10. This common side wall l() ot the valve chest and steam cylinder has port-s ll and l2 respectively formed therethrough to establish communication between the opposite ends of the steam vcylinder and the space w'thin the valve A slide valve 13 tor controlling the ports 1l and l2 is movable longitudinally of the valve chest in sliding contact with the comlO et the valve chest and steam cylinder from position to cover the adjacent end of the port 11 and to uncover the port 12 to position to cover the port 12 and uncover the port 11, or-vice versa. The slide valve 13 may having longitudinally spaced bosses 14 formed on its outer face and these bosses may have alined openingstor the reception of a valve operating vrod 15. Set screws 16 are provided for connecting the bosses 14 of the slide valve With the valve operating rod 'l5 so that the slide valve-vill be secured in adjusted position along the valve operating rod and of course Within the valve chest. The valve operating rod 15 may extend slidab-ly through stuffing boxes 17 Which are associated with alined central openings in the opposite ends of the valve chest.

The upper part of the valve chest is provided with an opening 18 in Which is secured one end of a right angular tubular inlet valve casing 19. The opposite end of the yinlet valve casing 19 may be connected by any `,suitable titt1ng, such as-av coupling indicated 4generally'at 20,.'With an end portion of a flexible. tubing 21 or like conduit forconnecting the inlet valve casing With a source of pressure fluid supply. .The inlet valve casing 19 has alined transverse openings 22v in opposite sides of the bend portion thereof for the `reception of a longitudinally reciprocal valve 23 which has the form of a rod that is provided With a diametrical slot 24. lVhen the valve rod 23 is in the position show` inV Figure 6, the slot 24 Will be disposed at the outside of the inlet valve casing-and an imperforate portion of the valve rod Will closev the bore of the tubular valve casing 19. Vhen the valve rod 23 is in the position indicated in Figure 5, the diametrically slotted portion of the valve rodwill extend transversely across the bore of the tub-ular valve casingso that a loiv or pressure fluid through the valve casing 19 is permitted. The valve chest may be provided with conventional relief "cocks (not shown) to permit discharge'offcondensation from the valve chest.

.The head 2 of the cylinder is providedl With a handle 25 which preferably includes a'substantially C-shaped grip portion aszshown. The outer end portion ot the stem of thevalve rod 23 is offset laterally Withrespect to the valve rod 23, as indicated at 26 ,and extends slidably through an opening in a lug'27 Which is integral with the upper end of the handle 25'and is located on the uppenpart of'fthe head 2o'fthe steam cylinder. A-springi28 is disposed on the valve stem 26 between the lug 27 and a guide lug 29 Which is rigidv With the valve. stem26 and is'in sliding contact at its lower edge With the steam cylinderrl. The spring 28 functions to maintain the valve 23 in its closed positionso that the slotted portion of the valve will b-elocatedoutside of the tubularv inlet valve Vcasing 19 and-@at the side of the tubular valve casing 19 opposite to the handle 25.

The extreme outer end portion of the valve stem 26 is curved substantially along the arc of a circle as indicated at 30 so as to be located Within the C-shaped handle 25 close to the head 2 of the steam cylinder and so that the end olf' the portion 30 of the valve stem 26 will contact with the adjacent head of the steam cylinder when the valve rod 23 is in its open position. A linger-ot a hand that is grasping the handle 25 can be inserted between thev curved portion 30 of the valve stem and the adjacent head of the steam cylinder and can'y be employed to draw the valve stem 26 outward Within the handle 25 aganist the action of the spring 28 from the position shown in Figure 6 to position to open the inlet valve substantially as shown in Figure 5.

rlhe striking member or hammer proper of the device is adapted to slide in the barrel 4 and has a solid head portion 31 and an integral shank 32 which is formed with an axial socket 33. The socket 33 isof considerable area in ycross section and may extend for the greaterpart of the length of the member 31-32. The end portion 5 of the piston stem extends into the socket 33 of the striking member and is provided at a predetermined distance from its extremity With a collar 35 which may be secured adjustably to the piston stem in any suitable known manner and which lits slidably in the socket 33. A spring 36 of coil form is disposed Within the socket 33 between the collar 35'and the inner end of the socket and in encircling relation to the adjacent end portion of the piston stem. A similar'coiled spring 37 encircles the piston stem between the collar 35 and the adjacent end of a tubular adjusting plug or gland 38 which encircles the piston stem and is in threaded engagement With the inner Wall of the shank of the striking member.

4The adjusting member 38 is screwed into the socket of the shank of the striking memberuntil the springs 36 and 37 are under considerable pressure although not fully compressed. Therefor-e, when the piston 7 reciprocates in the power cylinder, motion Will be transmitted to the striking member Without any appreciable lost motion between the piston-stem and the striking member but Without any shocks and jars onthe piston stem at the ends of the strokes of the striking member, such shocks and jarsbeing absorbed by the springs 36 and 37.

The invention also provides means for cushioning the strokes of the striking mem- -ber in the barrel 4 so-as to prevent shocks and jars on the barrel 4 at the ends of the movements of the striking member in the barrel. Such means includes an integral collar .39.on the shank of the striking member intermediate the length of the latter .anclla pair of bearing rings and 41 respectively, which are secured in the barrel 4 on opposite sides of the collar 39. The rings 40 and 41 may be secured to the barrel 4 in any suitable manner, as by means of the set screws indicated at 42, such set screws preferably being threaded through relatively thick or embossed portions of the barrel into the bearing rings, so that such bearing rings will be held firmly in place. The rings 40 and 41 serve as stops for the outer ends of coil springs 43 and 44 respectively which encircle the striking member. The outer ends of the springs 43 and 44 may be attached to the rings 40 and 41 in any suitable known manner and the inner ends of the springs 43 and 44 are spaced from the collar 39 when such collar is half way between the rings 40 and 41. The collar 39 tits slidably in the barrel 4 and the out-ward end portions of the striking member fit slidably in the bearing rings 40 and 41.

The barrel 4 has a longitudinally extending slot 45 in its upper side through which a projection 46 on the collar 39 extends and in which the projection 46 may slide between lugs 47 and 48, respectively, which are fixed on the barrel 4 at the opposite ends of the slot 45. The lugs 47 and 48 have alined openings throughv which a rod 49 extends slidably.

1 One end of the rod 49 is connected pivotally with an end portion of a lever 50. The lever 50 is fulcrumed intermediate its length, as at 51 on the inner end portion of the barrel 4 and the other end portion of the lever 50 is connected pivotally with the adjacent end of the slide valve operating stem 15.

rlhe rod 49 may be provided with screw threads as indicated at 52. pair of arms 53 and 54, respectively, have openings in their upper portions for the reception of the threaded portion of the rod 49 so that the arms 53 and 54 may be disposed slidably on the rod 49 at opposite sides of the projection 46 on the striking member. The arms 53 and 54 are secured to the rod 49 by jam nuts 55 so that the lower edges of the arms 53 and 54 are close to the barrel 4 and the arms 54 and 53 are in positions on the rod 49 to be struck by the projection 46 on the striking member of the device just before the striking member reaches the limits of its movements in opposite directions.

lt is obvious that the rod 49 will be moved axially toward the associated steam cylinder when the striking member has moved inward in the barrel until the projection 46 has struck the arm 53. The movement of the rod 49 will cause movement of the slide valve 13 toward the position as shown in Figure 2 so that the port 12 will be uncovered and steam or other pressure fluid may pass into the outer end of the steam cylinder to effect reversal of movement of the piston in the steam cylinder and to cause the outward movement or working Y stroke of the striking member of the device.

The outward movement of the striking member in the barrel will result in actuation of the rod 49 as soon as the projection 46 strikes the arm 54 so that the slide valve 13 will be moved from the position shown in Figure 2 to a position to uncover the port 11 and to cover the port 12, whereupon the outward stroke of the striking member of the device will be terminated and will be followed by an inward stroke of the striking` member and the striking member will be operated in this manner so long as steam or other pressure fluid is admitted continuously into the valve chest. The collar 39 will strike. the spring 43 shortly before the striking member reaches the limit of its outward stroke so that the subsequent compression of the spring 43 will cushion the outward or working stroke of the striking member at its conclusion and will prevent shocks and jars from being imparted to the barrel. The collar 39 will strike the spring 44 shortly before the striking mem` ber reaches the limit of its inward or return movement after an operating stroke and the spring 44 then will function to absorb shocks and jars at the limit of the inwart. stroke of he striking member. It thus will be manifest that the operation of the device will be attended by very little wear on the relatively moving parts of the device and that the casing structure of the device' will not be subjected to appreciable shocks and jars at the ends of the strokes of the reciprocating members of the device.

The device is provided with a pair of transversely spaced upstanding supporting plates 56 which may be integral with a collar 57 that is joined to the barrel 4 and which may be integral with the barrel 4. A. shaft 58 extends between the plates 56 and is ournaled in alined bearing porcions of the plates 56. rlhe shaft 58 may carry a spool 59 or other alining member which is rigid with t-he shaft and to which an end portion of a cable 60 may be secured. One end portion of the shaft 58 carries a gear 61 with which av pinion 62 on an operating shaft 63 is in mesh. The operatin g shaft 63 is supported by alining bearing portions of the plates 56 and has one end portion thereof formed to provide a crank handle 64. It is manifest that actuation of the shaft 63 and of the pinion 62 by means of the crank handle 64 will cause rotation of the shaft 58 and of the spool 59 thereon so that the cable 60 can be wound on or unwound from the spool at will. A pivoted pawl 65 is carried by one of the plates 56 and normally engages with the gear 61 to prevent accidental turning movement of the shaft 58 in the direction required to permit unwinding of the cable 60 from the spool 59.

From the foregoing description of the various parte of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood. The cable 60 may be suspended from any suitable overhead support, which may be a hoist, a winch, or like device, so that the improved hammer will be suspended :trom the cable in a position which can beadjusted vertically by actuation of the crank handle 64. Since the device is swingingly supported, the handle 25 can be grasped and the device manipulated as a whole to position the striking head oi" the hammer as desire-d with respect to a drilling bit or other tool that is to be struck by the hammer. The force of the device thus can be exerted on the work from any desired direction and the device can be used to strike a blow on the work when the barrel of the device is vertical, hori- Zontal or in an oblique position. The necessity of adjusting the work relatively to the power device thus is obviated.

The reciprocation ot' the striking member will begin as soon as the inlet valve has been opened, assuming or course that the inlet valve casing is connected with a source of pressure fluid supply. T his inlet valve normally is closed and'thereiiore the handle 25 can be grasped and the device manipulated on its suspension cable without danger oi accidental operation of the striking member until the device is in a desirable position for use, after which a finger of the hand that grasps the handle 25 can be used to eilect opening of the inlet valve and the operation of the striking member of the .device will commence and will continue so long as the inlet valve is held open. lith the improved hammer, any convenient source of steam or other pressure fluid may be used as the actuating force and the only structure that will be required in the operation of dressing a drilling bit or like tool will be an anvil or other suitable support for the drilling bit and a relatively elevated support for the suspension cable 60. A drilling bit or like tool therefore can be repaired or dressed in the iield without there being any necessity of setting up expensive rigging, such as would be required for the dressing of a drilling bit by means of an ordinary ram.

l/Vhat claim is:

l. ln a power hammer, a barrel, a power cylinder at one end of said barrel, a striker member having a shank movably supported in said barrel, said shank having an axial socket open at the end of the shank which is proximate to said power cylinder, a piston reciproca-ble in said power cylinder, a piston stem extending from the power cylinder into the socket in the shank of said striker member, a collar secured on said piston stem and disposed in said socket in sliding Contact with the wall of said socket, a compression spring disposed within said socket between said collar and the inner end of said socket, a hollow plug encircling said piston stem and adjustably engaged with the wall of said socket outwardly of said collar, and a second compression spring between said collar and the inner end of said plug.

2. In a power hammer, a barrel, a striker member having a shank disposed movably in said barrel, a collar on said shank intermediate the length of the striker member, said collar fitting slidably in said barrel, a pair of bearing rings respectively secured within said barrel at opposite sides of said collar, said striker member sliding in said bearing rings and coiled compression spring encircling said striker member between said bearing rings and said collar and respectively being adapted to be struck by said collar and compressed when said striker member is near the limits oit' its strokes in opposite directions in said barrel.

3. In a power hammer, a power cylinder, a guide at one end of said cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, a striker carried by said guide and cooperatively engaged with said piston, opposed abutments carried by said guide and said striker, and compression springs between said abutments and cooperating therewith to cushionsaid striker in its reversed directions of operative movement.

4. ln a power hammer, a power cylinder, a tubular guide at one end of said cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, a striker carried by said guide and cooperatively engaged with said piston, an annular abutment within said guide and surrounding an intermediate portion of said striker, annular abutments carried by said striker in spaced relation and at the yopposite sides of said first-mentioned abutment, and opposed compression springs between said abutments and cooperating therewith to cushion said striker in its reversed directional operative movements.

VIRGIL SKEEN KILLINGSWORTH. 

